Louisiana Community Development Grants

The Mayor’s Office of Community Development is offering grants of up to $10,000 for MLK Day of Service Community Projects. This initiative aligns with the foundation's mission to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy. The program's core objective is to promote community service, advance social justice, and address essential community needs, reflecting a commitment to the principles Dr. King championed. The target beneficiaries for these grants include non-profit organizations, educational institutions, faith-based organizations, and businesses located in Louisiana. Projects must be situated in low to moderate-income areas, as defined by Housing Urban Development (HUD), ensuring that the grants directly benefit communities with the greatest needs. The overarching impact goal is to foster positive change and equitable development within these communities. The program prioritizes projects that embody Dr. King’s legacy, focusing on activities that promote community engagement and social justice. This includes initiatives that address critical community needs, indicating a preference for projects with tangible and immediate benefits for residents. The selection criteria emphasize the applicant's good standing with the City of Baton Rouge and the Secretary of State, ensuring accountability and effective project implementation. Expected outcomes include an increase in community service activities, enhanced social justice initiatives, and a measurable improvement in essential community needs within the targeted low to moderate-income areas. While specific measurable results are not explicitly detailed beyond the "up to $10,000" grant size, the focus on addressing "essential community needs" suggests that successful projects will demonstrate clear, positive impacts on their communities. The foundation's strategic priority is to invest in community-led solutions that align with a theory of change centered on empowering local organizations to drive social progress and honor Dr. King's enduring message.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is extending the application deadline for the Commercial and Charter Vessel Access Grant Program, funded through the LDWF 2019 Flood Disaster Grant. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) allocated funds to mitigate the effects of freshwater flooding on Louisiana’s saltwater resources. Grants of up to $500,000 will be awarded to public and private entities for constructing new facilities, acquiring land, or improving access for saltwater commercial and charter fishing vessels. The new application deadline is May 31, 2024, extending from the original date of May 15, 2024. Projects must be in coastal areas impacted by the 2019 flood and accessible to the public. Recipients must maintain facilities for at least 20 years.

Impact 59 Powered by Entergy is the Super Bowl LIX Legacy Program, aimed at creating a lasting philanthropic and economic impact in the Greater New Orleans community. This initiative is a collaboration between the NFL Foundation, New Orleans Super Bowl LIX Host Committee, Entergy Charitable Foundation, New Orleans Saints, United Way of Southeast Louisiana, NOLA Coalition, and Ochsner Health. The program will award a minimum of $3 million in grants to local nonprofit organizations. Grants ranging from $25,000 to $250,000 will support projects focused on Youth Development, Workforce Training, Education, Health & Wellness, and Equity & Inclusion. Eligible applicants are nonprofits operating in specified parishes, with grants targeting various community needs. Eligible organizations must have 501c3 or equivalent nonprofit status for at least 24 months prior to application, and must demonstrate financial health through specified financial reports. Applications must be submitted online by August 23, 2024. Organizations can apply for one program grant, and collaborative projects must choose a fiscal agent for submission. The program emphasizes support for organizations with a non-discrimination policy and local schools addressing community-focused needs beyond their typical scope.

Deadline: May 31, 2024, at 4 p.m. CDT. Eligible Recipients: Not-for-profit organizations with preservation, conservation, cultural, historical, or archeological missions, including HBCUs, tribal nations, and government entities. Eligible Projects: Must be within the Delta Region, focusing on cultural heritage, public roads, regional music, museums, and more. Priority Criteria: Projects addressing immediate needs, new initiatives, completed within 18 months, and enhancing heritage tourism. Where: Projects within the Delta Region, not on federal property. When: Applications open April 15, 2024, and close May 31, 2024, at 4 p.m. CDT. Selected projects announced by September 2024. Webinar: Optional webinar on April 24 at 10 a.m. CDT. Register here. Contact: For project inquiries, email us. For technical support, contact [email protected].

The Northshore Community Foundation's Community Impact Grant Program aims to support innovative and impactful projects that address critical needs, promote positive change, and enhance the quality of life for residents within the community. This grant is funded by a generous anonymous donor and aligns with the foundation's broader mission to foster initiatives that lead to community betterment across the region of St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Washington, and St. Helena parishes in Louisiana. The primary beneficiaries of this program are nonprofit organizations (registered 501c3 entities) that provide services in the aforementioned parishes. The overarching impact goal is to create positive change and enhance the quality of life for residents by addressing critical needs in various focus areas. The program prioritizes projects within specific focus areas, including education, healthcare, social services, environment, arts, and community development. The selection criteria emphasize innovation, feasibility, impact, and sustainability. Innovation refers to the originality and creativity of the proposed project, while feasibility assesses the practicality and achievability of the work. Impact focuses on the potential positive effects on the community, and sustainability considers the long-term viability and potential for sustained positive change. The foundation's strategic priorities are implicitly reflected in these criteria, seeking to invest in projects that are not only effective in the short term but also have the potential for lasting positive influence. While a explicit "theory of change" is not detailed, the emphasis on addressing critical needs, promoting positive change, and enhancing quality of life through innovative, feasible, impactful, and sustainable projects suggests a theory where strategic funding in key areas leads to significant and enduring community improvement. The expected outcomes are measurable positive impacts within the specified focus areas, contributing to the overall well-being and development of the Northshore community.

This program provides $40 million in funding over three years to support projects that improve environmental health and resilience in historically marginalized communities across EPA Region 6.

The 2024 States’ Economic Development Assistance Program (SEDAP), announced by the Delta Regional Authority (DRA), seeks applications for grants to target federal resources toward communities in the Mississippi River Delta and Alabama Black Belt regions. With a focus on economically distressed counties and parishes, SEDAP aims to invest in community-based and regional projects across four congressionally mandated funding categories: basic public infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, business development with an emphasis on entrepreneurship, and workforce development. The program is designed to encourage job creation, regional collaboration, and funding partnerships, leveraging a total of $16,930,642, allocated across the eight-state DRA region with awards ranging from $50,000 to $500,000 depending on project type and application score.

The Louisiana Project Grants (LPG) program, funded by The Louisiana Division of the Arts (LDOA) and administered by The Acadiana Center for the Arts for Region 4, aims to cultivate innovative arts projects with lasting impact. Replacing the Decentralized Arts Funding (DAF) program that began in 1995, LPG supports arts projects that address local needs and provide artistic value within communities. The program offers funding for a wide variety of arts initiatives that meet specific community requirements. Applications for the FY25 cycle open on May 1, 2024, and must be submitted online by June 28, 2024. Eligible applicants include nonprofit arts organizations, nonprofit organizations, public and private schools, local government agencies, and colleges and universities within Acadiana’s Region 4. The funding period spans from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025, with grant amounts ranging from $2,500 to $7,500.

This initiative provides funding and support to nonprofit organizations, local governments, and Tribal governments in coal-impacted communities to develop and scale innovative economic projects that create job opportunities and foster local economic transformation.

The National Academy of Sciences Gulf Research Program is investing $50 million in the Gulf Futures Challenge to fund projects addressing critical challenges in the Gulf region. The Challenge aims to discover and promote innovative and transformative solutions by leveraging the talent and knowledge of the Gulf's people. The competition focuses on three main areas: energy transition, environmental change along the coast, and healthy and resilient communities. Up to ten finalists will receive up to $1 million in project development support, with two finalists awarded $20 million each to implement their solutions. Eligible applicants include nonprofits, state, local, and tribal governments, and academic institutions from Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, or Texas, with projects located within 100 miles of the Gulf coastline. The registration deadline is August 20, 2024, and the application deadline is September 20, 2024.

This funding opportunity supports educational projects that enhance community resilience and environmental literacy in the Gulf States by engaging learners of all ages in addressing local environmental challenges.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations that provide career development programs for Black youth aged 14-24 in designated NBA markets.

This program provides up to $30,000 in marketing support to small businesses in designated low-income areas of New Orleans to help them grow and increase their visibility.

This grant provides funding to Louisiana-based nonprofit organizations for after-school and summer arts and culture education programs that celebrate the state's unique cultural heritage.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations, local governments, and public schools in selected states to implement sustainability initiatives, workforce development, and community resilience programs that enhance the quality of life and economic vitality in their communities.

This grant provides funding to under-resourced communities in the Mississippi River Delta and Alabama Black Belt regions to develop strategic plans that address local economic development challenges.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for emergency repairs, replacements, and additions to facilities for eligible United Way partner agencies in Southeast Louisiana.

This program provides trees to nonprofit organizations and government agencies in the U.S. to support large-scale environmental conservation and restoration projects.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in the Greater New Orleans area for programs that enhance women's economic opportunities, health, and family assistance.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations and educational institutions in Lafourche and Terrebonne Parishes, Louisiana, to support community development and educational initiatives that enhance local quality of life.